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Spacesaver® Industrial™ Puts An End To Wasted Space

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Spacesaver Industrial is a division of Spacesaver® Corporation, which has been a leading provider of high-density compact mobile storage systems and an array of other storage solutions and accessories to commercial markets since 1972. The company has successfully installed more than 100,000 storage systems for leading companies and institutions across North America, including an untold number of industrial applications. The company employs nearly 600 at its manufacturing facility in Fort Atkinson, Wis. The manufacturing plant, which has earned ISO 9001:2008, encompasses 358,000 square feet.

Spacesaver Industrial was formed in 2010 after Spacesaver Corporation acquired Compact Storage Systems (CSS), the company that originally designed and marketed the industrial, heavy-duty carriage systems. The acquisition of CSS was a natural evolution for Spacesaver Corporation since it manufactured the systems for Compact since 2006.

From the manufacturing floor to the front office, the Spacesaver® Industrial™ division has extensive experience in designing and manufacturing solutions exclusively for use in a diverse range of manufacturing operations, as well as companies focused on the warehousing, distribution, and logistics industries.

Spacesaver Industrial distributes the ActivRAC systems through an independent network of handpicked and highly trained distributors who are experienced in manufacturing processes and experts in materials handling and storage. Local experts team with architects and highly skilled, factory-trained sales and technical service teams to properly evaluate each application and recommend the most appropriate warehouse or manufacturing storage solution.

Whether it’s a manufacturing, warehousing, or distribution environment, there are a host of strategies and products available to increase throughput, improve productivity and lower costs when storing and handling materials. Today, companies have found a new opportunity in materials handling and storage.

ActivRAC™ Mobilized Storage from Spacesaver® Industrial™ The concept of mobilized storage is simple. With ActivRAC Mobilized Storage, otherwise stationary (or fixed) rows of pallet racking are mounted on carriages and mobilized. The carriages, which can also be equipped with shelving and cabinets, travel on wheels mated to a rail system. By moving side to side, the patented-pending system is able to “compress” (or compact) the stored materials into a much smaller footprint when compared with a stationary system – yet provide 100 percent access whenever needed.

Best of all, it is designed to mount on existing floors in surface mount or flush mount configurations.

An ActivRAC system puts an end to wasted space and lets forward-thinking companies uncover square footage they never knew existed, and in turn, create a more efficient and profitable enterprise.

The ActivRAC mobilized storage system requires just one moving aisle that opens and closes to provide fast, easy access to stored materials. It can totally replace an existing stationary system, or convert existing racks and shelving into a mobilized storage system via industrial-grade carriages and rails. When compared with a same footprint, ActivRAC systems can give users up to 100 percent more capacity within the same footprint. Or, users can maintain current storage levels, but occupy up to 50 percent less floor space.

The Spacesaver Industrial line of mobilized storage systems includes the ActivRAC 8 and patented-pending ActivRAC 16 and ActivRAC 30 models. The ActivRAC 8 system is rated to handle a weight capacity of up to 8,000 lbs of load per rack or shelving section. The ActivRAC 16 and ActivRAC 30 systems are rated to handle weight capacities of up to 16,000 lbs and 30,000 lbs of load per rack or shelving section, respectively.

Robust safety features include smooth start and stop movements to protect users and materials being stored. Other safety features include an aisle-entry sensor. If a person enters an open aisle, cross-aisle sensors mounted 20 inches up from the carriage base stops the system from moving. Another safety option is a Photo Safety Sweep, which uses an infrared or visible red light beam. The beam is projected the length of the carriage at its base and stops the system from closing an aisle when the beam is interrupted by a person’s foot or other object.

The patent-pending and robust design of ActivRAC Mobilized Storage System ensures the carriages and racking or shelving can handle the heaviest loads. Yet, at the same time, the systems are designed to flex and articulate to ensure smooth travel from side to side as the systems open and close – while also delivering long life.